Entries in Skiing
(5)

The folks at DUX Sports sent us a few items of theirs to try out. We already reviewed their all-purpose 3/4 sleeve shirt. But its going to be hard to beat this pair of Hexa Gray compression pants. The combination of quality, style and value can't be beat. But then again, you can probably say that about everything DUX Sports makes.

These not only look cool, but they are cool...and versatile. You can wear them in the heat and they'll breathe so as not to stifle or create any sweaty discomfort. And they're perfect for exercising when it's cold outside.

My son plays baseball in Missouri and he loves how they kept his legs warm this winter when the team worked out outside in frigid temperatures. He said they fit perfectly, not tight and constricting but still plenty of support. And, additionally, they do a great job keeping his legs from getting torn up when sliding and diving for balls.

We've yet to see anything we wouldn't recommend from DUX and, best of all, their prices are terrific. There's nothing quite as exciting as a great product at a tremendous price. Except maybe for a feeling of warmth and comfort on a cold winter day.

Is there anyone who doesn't like the smell of cedar? And is there anyone who does like the smell of old, musty, sweaty sports gear and or shoes? We first reviewed Stuffits five years ago when they sent us out a pair to try. Since then they've grown by leaps and bounds and we couldn't be prouder of their success.

Stuffits original product, the classic, is a tightly-sewn case of anti-microbial fabric "stuffed" with delightful cedar. Cedar not only imparts its fragrance in anything it touches, but it is a natural moisture absorber. Stuffits claimed that when you placed their product inside shoes that were smelly or wet -- or both, that they would freshen and smell better, last longer.

We have been using the same pair for years and they work great. Get caught out in the rain and your shoes are soaked? In the past that meant you may as well throw them out because of how they'd smell forever after. But now, just let them sit overnight inserted with Stuffits and tomorrow they'll be dry and redolant of sweet cedar.

Stuffits now makes their product for gloves, gear bags and helmets too. Just about anything you can think of that gets wet, sweaty and stinky is a prime candidate. All you need to do is try it once to believe it.

So don't fear the wet, the sweat, the smell. Just stuff it and tomorrow you'll feel like you're walking through a cedar forest. And who cares if it starts to rain?

Gnarly, dude. Trying to act like I know surf lingo is the surest way to make my kids roll their eyes. Even though I’ve lived half my life in Southern California, I’m not exactly part of the surfing and snowboarding scene. But I do know that athletes in any sport can benefit from a strong sense of balance. Using a balance board has been proven to not only enhance an athlete’s stability, but also increase strength and flexibility in knees and ankles, helping stave off injuries. Maybe the coolest boards are made by the folks at HoloHolo (www.holoholo.tv). I’ve had one sitting in the house for a couple weeks and it is fun watching all my kids walk by it on their way somewhere, stop, hop on and fall off a couple of times.

Step on, like riding a skateboard, and the board will have a slight roll and lots of tilt to challenge your balance. Once you are comfortable with the board touching the ground on both sides you can try to stay balanced in the small amount of travel or roll that is allowed by the Pipe-Lock and stops. There is a fine line you can feel when you are centered over the pipe roller and maintaining control. That same senstion is common to most board sports.

Are you a “twin-planker” like me? You can practice your skiing technique by placing your feet on the board inline with the pipe and board lengthwise. From the hips down it really does feel like you’re heading down the slopes. Bend your knees for more challenge.

But if you really want to know who the HoloHolo is aimed at, check out this pitch from the website: Your pint size kids will ride it and then shred the mountains, lakes, surf and sidewalk like never before. This is not just for the little groms, regular size humans love it for all the same reasons they love all of the Holoholo Boards. Like I said, “Gnarly.”

If you’d like to bring a little Star Trek to your outdoor activities, Navman (www.navman.com) is extending its line-up of satellite-based personal trainers with Sport.Tool X300. The sleek, attractive and futuristic device tells you at a glance how fast you’re moving and how far you’ve come, with global positioning systems (GPS) accuracy. It is made for those who enjoy a wide variety of sports, such as skiing, running, rollerblading or cycling.

The X300 is a math whiz. It pings satellites thousands of miles away, and calculates how far it is from each. It does this by multiplying the time it took for each signal to reach the receiver by the speed of light. Once it has done this for each of the satellites it has found, it typically establishes your position to an accuracy of within just fifteen yards.

The X300 will provide you with distance traveled, cumulative altitude, speed, lap distance, lap time and much more. It boasts a fabric strap for fitting comfortably on to the upper arm, while an easy-to-read personal display gives the user performance statistics at a glance. It even comes in optional colored covers, including black, blue, green and white. Captain Kirk would be jealous.

If you’re a skier, these next few months seem to crawl by. While others enjoy stripping down to their bathing attire and heading for the nearest body of water, you curse the sun’s warming rays destroying that beautiful powder that accumulated all winter. You gaze longingly at your shelved skis and worriedly at your soon-to-atrophy mogul muscles.

But you don’t have to sit back and wait for another blessed winter to get in shape. Stay in the best condition of your life by hopping on the Skier’s Edge, (www.skiersedge.com).

An excellent all mountain conditioning and training machine, it will improve your skiing technique, and build confidence before taking to the slopes. The Skier's Edge targets the ski specific muscle groups while giving you a great aerobic workout you can use even if you’re not trying out for the Olympic Ski Team.

Sure, your favorite summer pastime has always been marking off the days of your calendar until your favorite resort’s opening day. But now, thanks to Skier’s Edge, when you finally hop off that lift into the white bliss, you’ll feel like you’ve been on the mountain all summer long.